You will be required to notify the staff where you will be working out at so we can find you if needed. Adults must carry a cell phone with them at all times while their child is in Child Watch and must answer immediately if called and be prepared to return to Child Watch for their child if necessary. The adult utilizing Child Watch for their child(ren) must remain in the building while exercising. Adults may run or exercise outside in close proximity to the Y, with immediate cell phone contact, but must sign a Permission to Exercise Out of Facility form.

If you have a compliment, grievance, question, or concern about Child Watch, we encourage you to communicate it with the staff. Our staff are there to assist families immediately by answering questions and addressing concerns. You can also contact the Director at each location.

Registration

The Child Watch Intake Questions must be completed as part of the online registration process by the child's parent/guardian before their child may participate in the Child Watch program at any of our locations. Please notify the staff of any change of information on your child’s form (ie: allergies or health). For more information on how to complete the questions, please visit the Child Watch page.

Check-In & Out Procedures

All families and children must check-in at the Front Desk first and then check-in into Child Watch upon their arrival. Children of parents with adult memberships and community member families must provide the proper punch card or receipt of payment to the Child Watch staff when checking in. For the safety of your child we require parents/legal guardians to check their child in and out of Child Watch at each visit and we limit drop off and pick up to the 2 adults on the account. We encourage new members, parents of infants and parents of special needs children to notify staff of their location in the building prior to leaving Child Watch.

Personal Items

Any and all personal items that you bring into Child Watch must be labeled with your child’s first and last name. We ask that you do not bring your child’s toys, tablets, phones, iPads or other electronic devices from home to Child Watch. Any personal items labeled will be taken to the Y’s lost and found and kept for a short time. All other items will be discarded. The Y is not responsible for loss or damage to your child’s items.

Footwear

For the health and safety of all the children, we ask that they wear proper footwear to Child Watch. We ask your help in encouraging your children to leave their shoes on (tennis shoes stay on best), unless they are playing in the indoor play structure at the facility, then they must be wearing socks.

Infant/Toddler Feedings

You may bring a bottle/toddler cup for use in Child Watch. We do ask that you notify the staff of how you would like the bottle prepared and that all bottles and cups are clearly labeled with your child’s first and last name. Nursing mothers are welcome and encouraged to nurse their child in Child Watch should the need arise.

Diapers & Toilet Training

Please start your infant/toddler’s visit to Child Watch in a clean/dry diaper. Parents are welcome to change their child upon arrival/prior to leaving if necessary. Child Watch staff will change your child if they discover your child has had a bowel movement during their visit. Families must provide their own diapers and wipes for their children. If your child is toilet training, please notify the staff. The staff will do our best to remind your child to use the restroom on a regular basis. If your child will need assistance while using the restroom in Child Watch, the staff will leave the door to the restroom all the way open and one staff will never be alone in restroom stall with child.

Extra Clothes & Soiled Clothing

In the event that a child soils their clothing the YMCA staff will ask you to return to Child Watch immediately to change/clean up your child. We do not keep spare clothing, diapers and wipes on hand and encourage you to bring a change of clothing to use as needed.

The YMCA of Lincoln does not discriminate against children with special needs, but requests additional information from you in order to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for each child. Please note that the terrain of our facilities and our activity levels may make it difficult to accommodate children with certain special needs. An Additional Support Plan Form is to be used by the Program Director and the parent/guardian in order for the YMCA to be made aware of a child’s specific health, dietary, mobility or disability needs and to put in place safety and/or medical accommodations as applicable. The Y will make every reasonable effort to accommodate a child’s special needs but we cannot guarantee that this is possible in all circumstances.

We will not provide any snacks or meals during Child Watch hours. Please feed your child prior to coming to the Y. You may bring a small dry snack from the list of approved snacks listed below:    

Approved Snacks: Crackers, Pretzels, Dry Cereal, Apples, Bananas, Oranges, Carrots, String Cheese, Fruit Snacks, Dried Fruit or yogurt bites, toddler puffs and baby/toddler food pouches.

NOT approved due to allergies and choking hazards: Nuts, peanut butter, popcorn, grapes, granola bars containing peanuts, candy, gum and soda.   

If your child has food allergy or intolerance please communicate that with the staff every time you check into Child Watch and use the RED Allergy/Need wristbands, provided in Child Watch, during each visit.

Children should not be in Child Watch if they are ill and should not return to Child Watch until they have been fever-free and symptom-free for 24 hours without medication. If during your child’s visit, we discover that your child has a fever or other signs of illness, the staff will contact you to return to pick up your child immediately.  

A child should not be in Child Watch if he/she has any of the following symptoms or illnesses, unless the family has a doctor’s note indicating that the child is not contagious: Temperature 100°F or greater; unexplained vomiting; unexplained diarrhea; unexplained rashes; a condition or illness that prevents meaningful participation, presents a health risk to others, or requires medical consultation, including but not limited to: persistent congestion and/or runny nose; sore throat; headache; muscle pain; lethargy; persistent crying; persistent cough. Participants who are diagnosed with any of the other following illnesses are NOT allowed to be in our programs for varying amounts of time depending on the illness: Bronchitis; Influenza; Chicken Pox; Measles; Mumps; Contagious skin infection/disease, such as Impetigo or Scabies or Hand, Foot, & Mouth Disease; Bacterial Conjunctivitis or other Eye Infection; Strep Throat; Head lice; COVID-19 (tests positive and/or close contact exposure).  

This policy will be strictly enforced for the health and well-being of the other children and staff in Child Watch Staff. If you discover that your child has one of the conditions noted above after a recent visit to Child Watch (24 hours) please notify the Program Director immediately.  

Medications & Remedies

The Child Watch staff will not be responsible for administering medications and/or remedies such as teething tablets, lip balms, lotions, creams and ointments. For infants, however, we can apply diaper ointment/cream/powder at the request of the parents.

Discipline

We will use redirection and time-outs for inappropriate behavior in Child Watch. A time-out is a brief, supervised separation from the group. If problems persist, Child Watch staff will discuss the situation with the parent. If a solution cannot be reached, we may ask that the child not be brought to Child Watch if the behavior jeopardizes the well-being and safety of other children. The staff will make every effort to ensure that no child is punched, pinched, left alone, shaken, struck with any object, bitten or spanked. We are obligated by law to report any signs of child abuse to the proper authorities.

Inconsolable Child

If the Child Watch staff is unable to console a child after 10-15 minutes of continuous distress, the parent will be contacted and asked to pick up the child. We will make very effort to comfort your child, but do not want the child to have an unpleasant experience.